Marchand breaks team playoff goals mark, Bruins beat Maple Leafs 3-1 to move within win of advancing

28/04/2024

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman, left, and goaltender Linus Ullmark, right, celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

TORONTO (AP) — Brad Marchand broke the Boston playoff goals record with his 56th and the Bruins beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 in Game 4 on Saturday night to move within a victory of advancing to the second round.

Marchand also had an assist, James van Riemsdyk and David Pastrnak scored and Jeremy Swayman made 24 saves. Boston can wrap up the series Tuesday night at home.

Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand (63) celebrates after his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs with Charlie McAvoy (73) during second-period action in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

“Guys were committed,” Marchand said about the Bruins’ defensive structure. “We played tight. Guys did a great job getting back and getting sticks in lanes and making it tough on them.”

Mitch Marner scored for Toronto, while Auston Matthews, the NHL goals leader in the regular season with 69, sat out the third period because of an illness that forced him to miss practice Friday.

“He’s been giving us everything,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Ultimately, the doctors pulled him.”

Toronto forward William Nylander played after missing the first three games of the series because of an undisclosed injury.

Ilya Samsonov started in goal for the Maple Leafs, stopping 14 of 17 shots in the first two periods, and Joseph Woll made five saves in the third.

“Guys are trying. It’s a good team over there that’s limiting us,” Keefe said. “You can question a lot of things … can’t question the effort.”

Van Riemsdyk, who played in Toronto from 2013-18, opened the scoring with 4:51 left in the first period. Maple Leafs tough guy Ryan Reaves had the puck in the defensive zone, but had it knocked off his stick by Bruins rookie defenseman Mason Lohrei. Van Riemsdyk jumped on the miscue and outwaited Samsonov.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares (91) takes an elbow from Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand (63) during first-period action in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto winger Max Domi took a cross-checking penalty seven minutes into the second, and Boston’s red-hot power play took advantage with its sixth goal in four games when Marchand one-timed his second of the playoffs — and the 56th of his postseason career to pass Cam Neely for the top spot in franchise history — at 8:20.

The goal was Marchand’s 12th in the playoffs at Air Canada Centre/Scotiabank Arena to tie Bryan Trottier for the most by a visiting player at an opposing arena in NHL history. Trottier scored 12 times in the postseason at Washington’s Capital Centre.

Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) is stopped by Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) as Bruins’ David Pastrnak (88) and Pavel Zacha (18) defend during the first period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Frustration started to creep onto the Toronto bench as the period progressed, with Matthews and Marner getting into an animated discussion. Nylander was caught on camera muttering to himself before Marner slammed his gloves.

Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov, right, makes a save as Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand (63) looks for a rebound during second-period action in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

“We’re grown men,” Marner said. “Just a little bit off page there. We’re not yet yelling at each other because we hate each other … we talked about it after. We’re just trying to make a play.”

The Bruins, who topped Toronto in seven games in the opening round in 2013, ’18 and ’19, made it 3-0 with 42 seconds left in the second on Pastrnak’s goal.

Marner scored at 5:43 of the third.

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Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe, top front right, reacts on the bench with, from bottom left to right, Calle Jarnkrok, Pontus Holmberg and Ryan Reaves during third-period action against the Boston Bruins in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs’ David Kampf (64) battles with Boston Bruins’ Pavel Zacha (18) and Brandon Carlo (25) during second-period action in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) falls over Mason Lohrei (6) during the third period in Game 4 of the team’s NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Bruins’ James van Riemsdyk, center, celebrates his goal as Toronto Maple Leafs’ Joel Edmundson (20) and TJ Brodie (78) react during the first period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs’ Mitch Marner (16) scores on Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman during the third period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto on Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand (63) checks Toronto Maple Leafs’ Tyler Bertuzzi (59) during first-period action in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Toronto, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

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